PSA: Uber “Taxi” Scam in Germany. Driver demanded €50 Cash + App charged card. Support refuses refund.

Hi everyone,

I'm posting this as a warning and to ask for advice on how to handle a fraudulent Uber charge in Germany (NRW area).

The Context:

I ordered a ride using the "Taxi" option in the Uber app (metered fare), not the standard UberX. It was freezing and no other cars were available.

When we arrived at the destination, the driver insisted that I pay him €50 in CASH. He claimed that for the "Taxi" option, payment must be settled directly. I was confused, but since it was a metered taxi and not a fixed-price ride, I trusted him and paid the €50 cash.

The Scam:

The next morning, I saw that Uber also charged my card €22.50 for the exact same ride.

So the driver pocketed the €50 cash (tax-free, presumably) and let the app charge my card as well.

Total paid: €72.50 for a €22 ride.

The Support Response (The worst part):

I contacted Uber Support immediately.

1. First, they offered €8 in credits as an "apology" (ignoring the €50 loss).

2. When I refused, the agent asked for a "screenshot of the error message", completely ignoring that this is a theft/fraud case.

3. Now they are claiming it's just an "authorization hold" and stopped replying.

See the screenshots attached.

My Question:

Has anyone experienced this "Cash + Card" double dipping with the Uber Taxi option in Germany? Is the only solution a bank chargeback (Lastschrift-Widerruf)? I'm worried Uber will ban my account, but I refuse to let them steal €22.50 on top of the €50 I already paid.

(I also posted a thread on X/Twitter to get their attention, link in comments if you want to see the full timeline)